Ventilating foot covering



Feb. 28,1928. I 1,660,698

' O. P. WILLIAMS, SR I 'VENTILATING FOQT COVERING Filed Oct. 27. 1926 Tick];

l5 /5 i Z0 IINVENITOR v ATTORNEY 02M55Y P MLL/AM55B.

Patented Feb. 28,

UNITE} STA'ES.

VENTILA'IING FOOT COVERING.

Application 'filedOcteber 27, 1926. Serial no. 144,555.

My invention relates to foot coverings, and it has for its purpose the provision of a boot. or shoe in which is incorporated means 'for creating a forced circulation of air into and out of the 'foot covering so that adequate ventilation of'the foot is at all times eflected. I It is also a purpose of my invention to I provide boot or shoe having foot ventilating means which is operable by the usual motion of the foot in walking to set up a constant influx of fresh air into the shoe and around the foot and an efluxof stagnant air fromthe shoe, whereby fresh air is at i all times supplied to the foot.

I will describe only two forms of ventilating foot coverings embodying'iny invention, andwill then point out the novel features thereof in claims. I

In the drawings Figure 1 is a view showing partly in elevation and partly in longitudinal vertical section one form of ventilating foot covering embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the'line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing another form of ventilating foot covering embodying my invention. 4

Similar reference characters referto similar parts in each of the several views.v

In Figures 1 and 2, I have shown a ventilating foot covering'in the'form of a shoe in which the heel thereof is constructed to provide a-cavity. 16 cup shaped in form, with its upper side. open and spanned by the innergsole 17 of the shoe. Within this cavity is what I term a pumping device which comprises in the present-instance" a body 18 and an enlarged disk shaped head 19, both of which are preferably in the form of rubber or any suitable resilient material, which is capable of being compressed under the weight of the heel'as in walking and to expand to its normal position when relieved of pressureso that the head 19 will be re ciprocated in the cavity to effect a pumping action. v I

.The outer sole 20 of the shoe is formed with an air duct 21 having its forward end extending upwardly as indicated at 21 and communicating with an opening 22 in the inner sole so that the forward' end of the duct is placed-in c ommunicationwvith the.

interior of the shoe. The point of communication is preferably beneath the toes of check the the foot and between the arch portions of the toes of the foot so that air from within the shoe can be readily drawn into the duct. The rear end of the ductextends into the heel 15 and at this point-is provided with a valve unit comprising a body 23 having a spring pressed ball valve 24 therein, i

which operates to check the passage of a1r from the cavity. into theduct, but which opens to allow the passage of air from the duct into the cavity.

To permit discharge of air from the cavity I to atmosphere, the heel 15 is provided with a suitable openingin which is located a second valve unit 25 of the same construction as the other valve unit-andoperating to passage of air inwardly to the cavity.

In' operating, the pumping device being disposed directly beneath the heel of the foot is subjected to the pressure of the heel in walking and thereby intermittently compressed to eifect a reciprocating movement of the head 19 within the cavity. During downward movement of the head the air within the cavity is placed under pressure, which operates to open the valve 25 and thus discharge the air to atmosphere. On the upward movement of the head a negative pressure is'createdwithin the cavity,'which operates to open the valve 24 and thereby place the duct .21 in communication with'the cavity. In view of this negative pressure air is drawn from the interior of the shoe through the duct and into the cavity, such air beingwiltimately discharged'from the cavity through the valve 25 on the subsequent down stroke of the heel. In this manner air is constantly withdrawn from the interior of the shoe and discharged through thejheel, thereby creating a circulation of fresh air through the interior of the shoe to properly ventilate the foot.

Referring 'now to Figure 3, I have here shown another form of ventilating foot covering in its adaptation to a boot. The foot portion of the boot is constructed in sub-' stantially the same manner as the shoe shown in Figure 1 in that the heel portion is provi'ded with a cavity 16 in which the pumping device is located, and a duct 21 extends through the outer sole of the boot and is in communication at its forward end with the interior of the boot. Instead of discharging air from the cavity 16 through the-heel as in the first form of my invention, the air is dissilient body '18, 19, also functions as, a-

cushion for the heel of the foot in walking thus providing the advantages of a rubber heel and in a superior manner.

Although I have herein shown and described only two forms of ventilating foot coverings embodying my invention, it is'to be understood that various changes and modi- 'fications may be made-therein without departing from the spirit of the invention, and

the spirit'and scope of the appended claims. "'Iclaim;

1. A shoe having a heel formed with a cavity opening upwardly and spanned by the inner-sole, aresilient body' movable in the cavity by the heel of the foot in the act ofwalking to alternately crea-tenegative and positive air pressures in the cavity, a valved positive air pressure is. created in. the cavity,-

discharge port in the heel communicating with the cavity. through which air from the cavity is discharged to atmosphere when a and a valved duct-leading'from the cavity to the interior of the shoe through which air from the shoe is drawn into the cavitywhen a negative pressure is created in, the cavity. I 2. A shoe having a heelcavity, a duct extending from the cavity to the interior of the shoe, a valve in the duct for permitting air to be withdrawn from the interior of the shoe into the cavity, a second valve in the heel allowing air to be discharged from the cavity, and means in the cavity operable by I '1 'the foot for creating positive and-negative air pressures alternately in the cavity which through the coaction of the valves causes circulation of fresh air through the interior of the shoe.

3. A foot covering having a, heel formed with a cavityopening upwardly, a resilient body in the cavity, having an enlarged'head spanning the open end of the cavity to provide an annular passage beneath the head and between the body and wall of the cavity, Said-head normally elevated but adapted to be depressed in response to the-weight of the heel portion of the foot imposed on the head during walking, so as to alternately increase and decrease the pressure ofjair in the said passage, a valved discharge" port through which air is discharged from the passage to atmosphere when the pressure is increased in the passage, and a valved inlet duct communicating with the passage and the interior of the shoe, through which air from the shoe is drawn into said pasasge when the pressure of air in the latter is decreased.

4. A foot covering having a heel with a cavity opening upwardly, a resilient body in the cavity, having an enlarged head spanning the open end of. the cavity to provide a continuous passage surrounding the body.- beneath the head, said head normally elevated but adapted to'be depressed in response to the weight of the heel portion of the foot imposed on thehead during walking, so-as to alternately increase and deformed crease the pressure of air in the said passage,

a valved discharge port through which air is discharged from the passage to atmosphere when the pressure is increased in the passage, and a valved inlet duct communicating with the passage and the interior of the shoe, through which air from the shoe is drawn into said passage when the pressureof air in the latter is decreased. i

' ORMSBY P. WILLIAMS, SR. 

